As Fate Would Have It
by Walis
Summary: The epic battle with the Saiyans Nappa and Vegeta is finally over. Now there's only one problem: Goku wasn't the victor. V/B
1. Defeat

Disclaimer: YES!! My real name is indeed Akira Toriyama! @__@ You must ALL bow down to my superior narrative skills! BWAHAHAHahahaha- *Chokes on legal rights document*- erk! Nevermind.  
As Fate Would Have It  
  
Chapter 1  
  
A dry gust of wind blew across the barren wasteland. All of the surrounding cliffs lay in ruined shambles, nothing more than piles of rubble. The dust had not yet completely settled, and it drifted in slowly swirling patterns. A lone figure stood amidst the destruction, battered and bloody in the middle of the ruins of the battlefield, his breathing hard and labored. He glanced momentarily at the three lifeless bodies scattered around him. Kakarot, his brat, and that annoying baldy. He was surprised that they put up such a good fight. He was loath to admit that if they had withstood a little longer, he might have had to transform and fight them as an Oozaru.  
  
Vegeta sneered at his own weakness and turned away from his fallen enemies, wiping a trickle of blood from his lip with his glove. He'd suffered a good amount of damage, enough for a nice little swim in the Regeneration Tank. He thought back to the battle that just occurred. It was a shame that they all had to be such fools! Kakarot effortlessly defeated Nappa, and yet the idiot still didn't realize what he could have done with that potential had he just joined Vegeta! He closed his eyes in disgust, but suddenly opened them again when he heard footsteps coming from behind.  
  
"You fool. You think I can't hear you back there?" Vegeta leisurely turned on his heel to face the fat moron who was attempting to sneak up on him, his katana held at his side by a shaking fist. He was obviously some kind of samurai. His beady little eyes grew round as saucers as little droplets of sweat slowly inched their way down his face. Vegeta snickered inwardly. Might as well humor him.  
  
"Heh, you're a sneaky one. That's what I like about you. What do you say?" He cocked his head slightly to one side. "Join me." The bastard nearly choked on his own tongue.  
  
"Are you crazy?! You'd just kill me like you did that other guy! No way!"  
  
At the mention of his fallen comrade's death, Vegeta's fists clenched tightly as he turned his head away. He might have not really cared much for the monstrous Saiyan, but you had to have something there for the man who had watched over you since the moment you were born.  
  
"Nappa was a proud warrior. He died an honorable death." He was honest in his little monologue. Vegeta saved Nappa the dishonor of being killed by that third class weakling. He carried it out himself as his superior. These Earthlings couldn't seem to understand that concept and instead called him some kind of barbarian for it. His ki began to flare around him, burning brighter as his rage grew. His scowl deepened as his power skyrocketed, sending Yajirobe back a few steps. "He died a warrior's death. He was a Saiyan!"  
  
He was tired of always losing something, whether it was his pride, his honor, or his partner. Then it hit him. He was the last of his kind. Radditz, Nappa, and now even Kakarott and his brat. They were all gone. He was the only remaining Saiyan. He was all alone, the last left to carry on the legacy of his species. His ki fluctuated a little, flickering around him. His hand suddenly shot out and clamped around whatever neck that fat fool had, sending a barely suppressed "Eep!" from the terrified Yajirobe.  
  
"You. The Namek is dead, so you'd better be able to tell me where I can find those wish-granting spheres. If not, you can join him."  
  
Vegeta raised his free hand palm-forward and created a ball of ki dangerously close to Yajirobe's head. Desperately stuttering for anything to say that might give him at least a few more minutes of life, Yajirobe gasped out.  
  
"Wait! There's one. that smart chick. the one with the blue hair! She's the one that they always went to when they needed to find the Dragonballs! Y-yeah! She ca-."  
  
The grip around his throat tightened as Vegeta voiced his growing impatience with the fool. "What is her name?" he hissed. He would dispose of the fool as soon as he got his information.  
  
"I-I don't really think it matters. I heard that i-if Piccolo is killed, the Dragonballs become inert. They turn to stone and stop granting wish." That was the last thing that came from Yajirobe's lips as his head rolled on the ground, suddenly detached from his body.  
  
"Bah. This was a waste of my time. What the hell's the use of searching for the girl if the Dragonballs no longer work?" Vegeta reached into his armor and pulled out a tiny remote control. Pressing a short command on the item, he tossed it to the ground and leaned against a boulder. Breathing deeply, he began searching the surrounding area for his scouter, the one he had carelessly tossed aside before the battle had begun. Spotting it a few yards to his right, he slowly lifted himself up and made the short journey towards the little appliance. Once he reached it, he picked it up and put it on over his ear, fiddling around with some of the controls just to be sure that it was still in working order. Satisfied with his scouter, he looked up into the sky, searching for his pod. What the hell was taking the damn thing so long to get there?  
~~~~~~~~~~~~  
"Master Roshi? Can you sense anyone anymore?"  
  
The group in the aircar was growing impatient. Bulma had asked Roshi to take the wheel as she worked on repairing the old scouter, since it had short-circuited shortly into the fight.  
  
"I'm afraid not. I have no idea what's going on there anymore." Everyone was growing restless, and the news wasn't helping at all. Chi Chi was tightly gripping the armrest of her seat, the uneasiness refusing to allow her to relax in any way. Her little Gohan was down there, and if anything had happened to him, there would be Hell to pay. She glanced over at Bulma, who continued to tweak around with the little circuits in the scouter. She had a lens of some sort over her eye, and what looked like a pair of everyday eyebrow tweezers.  
  
"Just a little adjustment to the reception circuit here and... Voila! It works! Bulma, girl, you're such a genius," the scientist complimented to herself. She set her "tools" on the seat next to her and placed her handy- work over the left side of her face. "Now let's see what we can find." Bulma began searching for any ki signatures near the original battlefield. Upon not finding any in the immediate vicinity, she shifted her search to an area a little further to the west, hoping the direction change would give her some kind of reading.  
  
"Roshi, where did you last sense them all?" she inquired from the old man.  
  
The old man pointed in the general direction without a word as he too concentrated all of his senses on finding their comrades. Oolong spoke up meekly.  
  
"Do you think they're still alive?"  
  
"Of course they're alive you walking pile of lunchmeat! Of all people, you should know that Goku's not a pushover, and neither are the others. So just keep your trousers on and try to leave me alone!" The little pig shrunk back I his chair. Needless to say, Bulma was a little on edge. She didn't want to admit that even she was a little worried as to what they'd find once they arrived at the battlefield. Goku had been her best friend since childhood, and she couldn't bear the possibility that he'd died a second time, before she even had a chance to see him again. Glancing over towards Chi Chi, she realized how much harder it must be for her. Her husband and son were out there, and they had both been taken away before she had a chance to say goodbye. Bulma blinked hard and turned away. There was no use in thinking like that. They were all just fine, she assured herself. They'd land to find everyone celebrating the defeat of the Saiyans already, and they were all worrying over nothing. Why couldn't life just be as easy as that?  
  
Pi piiiiiii  
  
"The scouter's detecting a lifeform! Guys, someone out there's alive!" There was their first ray of hope. Now if only she could find out who it was.  
  
A deep, accented, masculine voice came on over her scouter.  
  
"Guess if I can't find the damned Dragonballs here, I'll have to go to the Namek's home planet. They're bound to have a set there."  
  
That sure as hell didn't sound like Krillin to her.  
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()  
Well, kids, there it is! The first chapter to my first fanfic. Lots of you might know me as the reviewer "Saiyantamer". Well, after over one and a half years of reading and reviewing, I finally decided to give a shot at writing my own story. I tried to come up with a relatively original idea. After all, I haven't seen any stories out there with my exact plotline. If anyone out there has, I apologize greatly, but that won't stop me from continuing this story.  
  
I owe a BIG thanks to Stef-chan for inspiring me to finally start writing! If any of you haven't already, go read her stories!  
  
Well, I'll get to updating this as soon as possible. Leave lots of reviews if you enjoyed it! And if you didn't. Well, let's just keep that our little secret! ^__^ 


	2. Promises

Disclaimer: *Drinks Barq's Root Beer* Gulp. gulp. ahh! Hey, guys. Right now this is all I own. *Points at can* Which means that. woe to me. Dragonball Z is not mine. -__-  
  
*~~~*  
  
As Fate Would Have It Chapter 2  
The air car landed shakily, kicking up dust and dirt into clouds around it. As the mechanical door slowly opened, Chi Chi didn't even wait for the ramp to lower. She ran out into the open area, searching frantically for her son. Turning her head quickly from side to side, she spotted a tuft of black hair waving around in the wind behind a large rock.  
  
"Gohan!" she exclaimed, running to her son. With a determined look on her face, she leaped over any obstacles placed before her. There wasn't anything in this world that was going to keep her from her poor little baby anymore. Unfortunately, she didn't exactly find what she was looking for. Blanching in horror, she raised her hand to her mouth, quickly turning away. It was definitely not Gohan. Instead, she found the head of Yajirobe, separated from his body by about a meter. Voices came nearer, but she heard none of them.  
  
"Chi Chi! What is it? Is it Gohan?" The small group approached the speechless woman as she slowly shook her head. Her eyes closed and she collapsed to her knees, holding herself tightly. The others turned to look at what affected her so, and gasped in unison.  
  
"Ya. . . Yajirobe. . ." Korin gasped out. The small white cat grasped his wooden staff more tightly in his paw, looking solemnly down at his fallen "roommate". What a horrible way to end. "Not even you deserved this. May you rest in peace, old friend." Hopefully you didn't suffer too much, he told himself. He directed his gaze to the ground as Master Roshi placed a hand on his tiny furry shoulder.  
  
"I'm going to go see if I can find any of the others," he said. As he began to walk away, he turned to Bulma. "We could really use you and that little gadget right now. Why don't you use it and try to find any signs of life?" He pointed towards the scouter over Bulma's eye. She snapped out of her reverie and focused her eyes away from Yajirobe's dead body. Swallowing back the bile, she nodded and pressed the button on the side of the scouter.  
  
Click. Click.  
  
Nothing detected so far. She slowly turned in a full circle, trying to find any signs of life, hoping beyond anything that there was someone still alive. She stepped away from the group, thinking that if there was someone out there, the scouter might detect them at a closer range. Wandering a good distance away from the group, she was finally out of their line of hearing. Still in a daze over what she had just seen, she didn't notice it when the group went completely out of sight.  
  
Boulder. Rock. Rubble. That's all anything meant to her anymore. Just a name. She passed by more ruins. Rock. Crater. Piece of cloth. She stopped there and bent down for a closer inspection. A piece of once- orange gi, burned to a crisp. She dropped it back to the ground. After all, about half of the people fighting were wearing that color. She continued once again, remembering to point the scouter in different directions.  
  
Pi.  
  
She quickly zoned in on the source of the slight reading. Taking a few cautious steps towards a rather large rock, she gently placed her hand on it, leaning her weight to the side as she slowly made her way around. She jumped back as a lizard scurried out of a crack. With a hand over her rapidly beating heart, she continued on her way. What she finally saw answered any question she might have had about her missing friends.  
  
"Goku!!" Bulma ran for the motionless body, tears spilling from her eyes. Crashing to the ground next to him, she gently placed her hand on his face, wiping some of the blood away. "Goku. Can you hear me?" she whispered. "Please wake up." she sniffed. "Come on, kiddo. You always pulled through for us before." she said, remembering the days when they were children and they embarked on their many adventures. Goku remained motionless. Dropping her hand to her side, Bulma wept openly.  
  
"Damn it! Why the hell hasn't anything been going right?!" She pounded her fists on the ground. "He was never supposed to die in the first place! Goku can't be beaten. He just can't!" Her crying continued for a while as she wept for her lifelong friend.  
  
She didn't know how long she had been kneeling there on the ground when she finally heard them. They sounded like. footsteps. Her head shot up and she looked frantically around for the source of the sound. She was almost ready to call out to it until she thought twice. What if it was the Saiyan? She knew he was still alive. Hell, he sounded perfectly fine when she heard him speak over the scouter. She remembered that frightening moment, when she tore the scouter off of her face and immediately turned it off. She prayed to Kami that the alien hadn't heard her, or else they might all be in even more danger.  
  
Snapping back to reality, Bulma scrambled to hide behind another nearby boulder, shielding her body from whoever was heading in her direction. Better be safe than sorry, she thought. Holding her breath, she peeked around the edge of the rock - and her heart nearly stopped.  
  
*~~~*  
  
Vegeta approached the clearing where his scouter was detecting something. His pod had not yet arrived, so he figured he might as well find something to occupy his time with. Stepping around a particularly large boulder, he was shocked to find the crippled body of Kakarot lying motionless on the ground. Was this where the reading was coming from? He wouldn't believe that the weakling was still alive.  
  
"Don't tell me you haven't died yet. Haven't you had enough, you fool?" Vegeta cautiously stepped around the body, tapping it with his foot. There was no reaction. The blood on his face, however, was visibly smeared, as if someone had recently caressed it. With a confused look plastered on his face, he glanced around, wondering if it really was Kakkarot's ki that the scouter had sensed. Turning his head in different directions, the gadget once again began reacting when it passed over a particular rock. Smirking, Vegeta stepped over Kakarot and towards the source of the reading, tossing back a thin beam of energy straight through the other Saiyan's heart. Better to be safe than sorry, he figured. The body convulsed under the attack and was still once again.  
  
"Who's hiding back there? Come out, now!" Vegeta called. Forming a small orb of energy, he began his trek around the obscuring boulder. Step by ever-ominous step, he was planning on giving whoever it was a very wet pair of pants by the time he was done. Making his way around, he turned to look face to face into the eyes of . . .  
  
a very large lizard.  
  
"Gah!" Stumbling backwards, the ki in his hand disappeared from his shock. Nearly falling onto his rear, he quickly recomposed himself, thanking whatever god was watching over this planet that there was no one there to see his encounter. The dinosaur opened its enormous jaws, exposing a row of dagger-like teeth and roaring out its fury onto the Saiyan prince. Vegeta didn't even flinch, however, as he sighed irritably and blasted the thing into oblivion. "Stupid planet," he muttered under his breath.  
  
Suddenly, a loud noise came from overhead, causing Vegeta to turn and face the sky. "It's about damn time!" he exclaimed as his space pod came into view. Landing with an enormous impact, the pod made a small crater in the dusty ground, kicking up debris. The Saiyan slowly headed towards his ship, his eyes on the inviting seat within as the door hissed open. As he reached the pod, he placed a shaky hand on the doorway, lifting his leg into the vehicle. Seating himself with a "plop!" he put in the coordinates for the nearest Freiza planet and entered a command to shut the door. As it slowly lowered itself, however, his eyes darted to something moving quickly in the distance, not to far from where he was originally standing.  
  
Squinting his eyes in hope of getting a better view, he finally spotted whatever it was just as the door sealed shut. Rising a little from his seat, he peeped through the small window to catch a glimpse of it again. His eyes widened once he realized what he was seeing.  
  
Blue hair.  
  
"Wait! There's one. that smart chick. the one with the blue hair! She's the one that they always went to when they needed to find the Dragonballs!"  
  
It had to be her! Kami only knew that color wasn't normal! Vegeta scowled as the ship began the ten-second countdown. There was no way he'd be able to stop it now, damn it. He continued looking up, nose touching the glass as his breath fogged up the window. His eyes narrowed as they were met with the wide and frightened cerulean-colored ones of the woman. He didn't know whether or not she could see him, but he could tell she knew exactly who he was inside the ship. He smirked at her obvious fear of him and turned his attention to the gizmo attached to the side of her face. Was that a scouter?  
  
Vegeta harrumphed as he leaned back into his seat. So, she was obviously some kind of technician or scientist by the familiar way she dealt with the scouter. The lens was colored green, which probably meant that it was the one that used to belong to Raditz. The prince sighed and closed his eyes as the ship began its take-off. Oh, well. With or without the woman, he'd find those Dragonballs if he had to search across the universe for them. Crossing his arms, he braced himself for the takeoff.  
  
*~~~*  
  
Bulma watched as the pod went shooting out of the atmosphere, its thin white trail winding up into the sky. Her shaking knees finally gave out beneath her and she sank to the ground. That was by far the most frightening moment of her life yet. He had seen her. She remembered his face, up against the window, fogging up the glass with his shallow breathing. Well, at least she knew he didn't leave here unscathed.  
  
Looking back up into the sky after him, she remembered that look he had given her. That sinister looking smirk and his narrowed eyes wouldn't get out of her head. He had sensed her fear, and he obviously thrived on it. She would never forget that face, but she hoped that she'd never see it again. She made a mental note that if she wasn't careful once she got to this Namek place, then she might end up running into him again. She shuddered. It was time to grow up and stop being so reckless.  
  
Bulma Briefs unsteadily rose up from her kneeling position and walked over to Goku's body. She glanced at her blood-covered hand. It was the blood of her best friend. She shifted her eyes to Goku's body. Staring at it long and hard, she promised to Goku and herself one thing.  
  
"I will bring you and the others back, kiddo. I swear it."  
  
*~~~*  
  
You like me!! You really LIKE me!! ^___^ Thanks to everyone for the great reviews, they REALLY helped me. I didn't know if anyone would like my story too much, but I guess you did!  
  
Well, there's chapter 2. I really hope you all liked it as much as the first chapter. You know, a few reviews to tell me if you did would really give me a confidence boost! Once again, many thanks to Stef-chan for editing the chapter and supporting me with it. Lol, you don't know HOW many times I went back and re-edited the thing before I gave it to her. o__o I just didn't like it that much... but oh, well. All that I really care about at this point is if YOU guys liked it or not. ^__^  
  
Also, er. . . special thanks to the reviewer "Kilala". I don't know why. I guess I'll just give out random shout-outs every chapter. ^__^ DON'T "SIT" ME!! PLEASE, NO "SITS"!  
  
*Necklace glows as she plows face-first into the ground*  
  
x___x  
  
Don't forget to review!! 


	3. Determination

Disclaimer: I still need one of these? What loser would think that this show is mine? *Looks around at lawyers surrounding her* Oh, THOSE losers. ^__^;; Well, it's not mine. There. Ya happy?  
  
*~____~____~*  
  
Bulma wiped her hands on her oil-stained cloth, looking upon her latest work with a proud smile. Before her stood the large remodeled Saiyan spaceship, nearly ready for its journey across outer space. With her hands on her hips, she walked around it, taking in the results of her latest project. After completely circling it twice, she squealed excitedly and clapped her hands. She turned her head after hearing an amused chuckle come from behind her.  
  
"A marvelous piece of work Bulma. I'm very impressed." Dr. Briefs strode up to his daughter's side, his lighter flickering in attempts at igniting the cigarette resting in his mouth. Once it was lit, he put the lighter away in the front pocket of his lab coat, immediately moving his free hand to pet the black cat perched atop his right shoulder. It began purring softly under his attention. "So what do you still have left to do, dear?"  
  
Bulma sighed as she pulled a strand of teal hair out of her eyes. "Well, I need to study up on those Namekian words that Mr. Popo gave me. I've got it down pretty well, already, but I want to be sure that if we actually run into any of the natives, I can actually tell them 'we come in peace'," she chuckled. "I only hope that they're all not like that Piccolo guy," she added as an afterthought. Hooking her thumbs in her dirtied overalls, she started walking again, talking back to her father as she did so. "I really hope they appreciate what I'm doing to get them back. I'm not saying that I deserve all the credit, but well," she paused for a moment, "I deserve all the credit!" she huffed.  
  
An amused smile played across Dr. Briefs' face as he stared at his daughter in admiration. Even after all that she had been through, she still had the courage to hope for the best, already having assumed that everything would go according to plan. He remembered that day she and the others had returned from the battlefield. Bulma had brought everyone here to Capsule Corporation, bringing any of the bodies they could find. There were no survivors.  
  
~~*Flashback*~~  
  
They made their way back towards Capsule Corp. in the hover cargo, with the few bodies they could recover in specially made compartments in back. The entire trip back was eerily silent, the passengers quietly reflecting on how everything went wrong. There was one positive thing about the whole deal, though. Even though the battle was lost, Earth's forces put up a good enough fight to weaken the Saiyan to the point where he could no longer inflict any more damage to the planet. Earth was spared thanks to their efforts, although it came at a high price.  
  
Bulma was running the scene between her and the Saiyan over and over again in her head. She could have died right then and there. A small smile slowly crept across her features. But then who would go find these Namek Dragonballs without her? She giggled. Chi Chi's head snapped up at the sudden noise.  
  
"What the hell do you find so funny, Bulma?! " Chi Chi leaped up and grabbed Bulma by the collar of her shirt, furiously shaking her back and forth. "Are you MAD?! We just lost everyone! EVERYONE!" It looked somewhat comical, with the knowing smile never leaving Bulma's face. She finally decided to reveal her plan. After all, being at the hands of a furious Chi Chi was never a fun place to be.  
  
"Have you ever heard of a place called 'Namek'? I hear it's a great vacation spot. There's also a rumor going around about some 'wish-granting globes' in that particular area." Heads turned their attentions towards the scientist. She was up to something...  
  
"What are you trying to say?" Roshi inquired. Everyone's interests were suddenly peaked.  
  
"What I'm saying is that according to the Saiyan, there's another planet with Dragonballs! I heard him saying it to himself over the scouter. They're in a place called Namek." All eyes around her went wide. Was it true? Did hope still exist in this bleak-looking situation? Chi Chi dropped her hold of Bulma's shirt.  
  
"You mean, there's still a way to wish back my Gohan? And Goku, too?" Chi Chi asked slowly. Bulma grinned and furiously nodded her head, her bangs floating in the air around her.  
  
"All I need to do is find out where it is, find a way to get there, and we'll be all set!" Bulma soon lost her cheery disposition and frowned, though. "The only thing we have to hope for, though, is that it's not too far away. Even my father's ships have their limits, and if it exceeds those, then we're gonna have to figure out another way to get there."  
  
Oolong spoke up. "How do you plan on finding this 'Namek'? It's not like anyone around here has any idea on how to get there or anything, so why're y'all so hopeful? Just face it, enjoy what's left of life, 'cuz once that Saiyan guy gets back, he's not gonna give us long to grovel at his feet before he blows us to smithereens, you know," he said positively. It wasn't long after that Bulma and Chi Chi's fists smacked him across the other side of the car in unison. "Ow..."  
  
"I was getting to that, porky!" Bulma rubbed the bridge of her nose, irritation finally settling in place of her once good mood. Sometimes she wondered how well that pig would roast on a spit. "That, as Oolong so kindly brought up," she shot a smoldering glance at the incapacitated swine, "is our only other problem. I have no idea where this planet is, and it might take me quite a while to figure it out."  
  
All of the once hopeful faces took a look of thoughtfulness once again. The entire car was silent, save for the soft "thump" of Korin's tail against the floor.  
  
*I MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP IN THIS SITUATION* roared a booming voice throughout their minds.  
  
Surprised gasps resounded throughout the vehicle, the passengers sending questioning looks to one another.  
  
"What in Kami's name was that?!" exclaimed Roshi. "Please tell me I'm not the only one who heard it!"  
  
Korin looked around, his ears flopping around as his head spun, searching for the source of the voice. "No, I heard it too! What is it?"  
  
The voice gave a humored snicker, little snorts following at the end.  
  
*I AM THE ALMIGHTY DEITY KNOWN AS...* he paused, trying to add a dramatic affect, *KAIO-SAMA! YOU MIGHT KNOW ME AS THE ONE WHO TRANED SON GOKU AFTER HE DIED THE FIRST TIME. * Oolong could be heard snorting something about what a fine job he did, but was soon silenced by a whack from Korin's staff.  
  
"Quiet," the little cat hissed. "Do you realize who you're talking to? He's the Lord of the Worlds! Higher than Kami himself!"  
  
"How can you help us, oh Kaio-sama?" squeaked out Puar.  
  
The Lord of the Worlds went on to explain about a climatic cataclysm long ago that once took place on Namek, supposedly wiping out the entire population. After checking for any energy signals, however, he found a small population alive and thriving. Bulma then asked him if he knew the coordinates of the planet so she could make some calculations. Kaio-sama then pulled out a tiny universal address book, looking for Namek's listing.  
  
*NOW ABOUT NAMEK'S POSITION... IN EARTH TERMS, LET'S SEE... IT'S BEARING SU83... 9045YX...*  
  
A look of terror crossed Bulma's face. "N-9045...YX...! Hey, Turtle boy! Take over for me! I've gotta do some calculations," she directed towards Master Roshi. As he made his way to take Bulma's place at the wheel, he silently questioned himself. "'Turtle boy'?"  
  
Bulma tapped at a small calculator. "I have a bad feeling about this..." she muttered under her breath.  
  
As she worked away at the coordinates, the group continued their conversation with the Lord of the Worlds. They learned of Kami's origins, and how he escaped the cataclysm many years ago. He also explained how the bodies of their deceased loved ones would disappear from their world in a moment so that they could train in the other world. The moral was steadily building, and the group was getting excited. That was until Bulma spoke up again.  
  
"We have a little problem, guys. I calculated the time it would take to reach Namek on a spaceship with the fastest engine my dad's made... which would be the fastest in the world. Anybody want to take a guess?" She pointed at the numbers in the calculator. "No? Try 4339 years and 3 months! Hope nobody's in a hurry." Mouths gaped around her.  
  
"F-f-four-THOUSAND?!" Puar exclaimed.  
  
"Lord of the Worlds, do you have any ideas?" Korin asked.  
  
Kaio-sama stood on his tiny planet, completely stumped. *WELL... HMM... UH...* he stuttered. *THAT'S AN AWFULLY GOOD QUESTION*  
  
Bulma shrugged. "Guess I'll have to use plan B then." She pulled out a tiny remote from her pocket. "I think this thingie calls the Saiyan spaceship. I saw it blinking when Vegeta left the atmosphere. I can examine it and then use his big buddy's ship. It's got to be still here, after all." Everyone around her sweatdropped. She noticed this and sent them questioning glances. "What?"  
  
"Er, nothing. It's just that you made it sound like we had no hope left or something. You scared the shit out of all of us," Chi Chi said.  
  
Oolong looked confused. "I never knew you cursed, Chi Chi." The woman shrugged.  
  
"I only keep a clean mouth so that my baby doesn't grow up to become a delinquent." The other passengers facevaulted.  
  
"So, does that mean that we have a way of getting there? Is there really a way?" Roshi asked.  
  
Smiling, Bulma replied. "Namek, here we come!"  
  
~~*End flashback*~~  
  
Stuffing her hands in her pocket, Bulma began heading for the door. "Well, I think I'm gonna go take a shower. I'll just do the finishing touches tomorrow, then I'll call the others."  
  
"You don't plan on going alone, do you?" Dr. Breifs asked of his daughter. "Things could get dangerous for you."  
  
"Naw. We already talked it over. I've got Puar and Oolong coming along for the ride. After weighing the downfalls, they seemed to be the best choices to bring along."  
  
Dr. Briefs scratched his head. "Why on Earth would you bring those two, dear?"  
  
"Well, Korin is the highest being left on Earth, so I really shouldn't bring him. Bringing Roshi would just add needless danger, and Chi Chi would probably scare all the Namekians off. Puar and Oolong have those transforming abilities, and they're probably the best company to bring along. It just adds up, dad."  
  
Her father shrugged. "Alright dear, whatever you think is best," he said as he continued scratching his cat.  
  
With one last glance at the ship, Bulma continued out the door, making her way to the bathroom.  
  
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()  
  
Ten days after Vegeta left the earth, the group was gathered outside Master Roshi's island, next to the large spherical spaceship that would take them to Namek. After saying their final good-byes, the crew of three, Bulma, Puar, and Oolong, boarded the ship and took their seats.  
  
"Thirty seconds to lift-off. You guys alright back there?" Bulma called out to the two behind her.  
  
"Uh-huh. We're fine. Is there anything we - er - need to know?" Oolong asked.  
  
"Not really. Just... I wouldn't stand up during take-off, if I were you," she replied.  
  
Five...Four...Three...  
  
Puar tilted his head questioningly. "How com-"  
  
Two...One...  
  
The trio was plastered to their seats. Well, all except Oolong, who had been sneaking to the back to get a peek at the panties in Bulma's luggage.  
  
"Ow."  
  
*~____~____~*  
  
Well, there it is. Sorry it's a little late. I intended on getting these things out about a week apart, but I got a little held up. Let me know if you enjoyed it in a review. I'll try to get the next chapter posted as soon as I can, but now promises! ^__^;; But don't worry, I won't keep you hanging for too long!  
  
Random shoutout: KamalaKali! Thanks for bringing that chapter problem to my attention. I tried to fix it, so we'll see if this new chapter screws anything up, as well. Lol. ^__^ 


	4. Arrival

Disclaimer: Once again, for those of you with the brain capacity of a peanut (not that I have ANYTHING against peanuts, mind you), I DO NOT own Dragonball Z. __ Fine then. Just rub some more salt into those wounds, why don't you!  
  
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She walked among the flowers in the colorful field, the sweet fragrance drifting from the petals and into the air around her. The sun shone brilliantly in the springtime sky, illuminating the area for miles around. Bounding gracefully across the field, she felt like a child once again, so simple and carefree, her silky hair drifting behind her like a flowing cascade of crystal blue water. Smiling and giggling softly, she came to a stop and lay down in a bed of wildflowers, sighing and stretching as she looked up at the bright blue sky. Everything seemed so peaceful, so serene. She inhaled deeply, taking in the perfumes and the fresh air that her surroundings offered her. Sky, sunshine, peacefulness and tranquility were all that her mind registered. She closed her eyes with the intention of dosing off for a bit in this little utopia of her own.  
  
She frowned when she noticed the sky darkening behind her closed eyelids. Peeking one open, her eye scanned the area above, noticing a large group of dark and ominous clouds crawling over the warm rays of the sun. A chilling wind blew across the bare skin of her arms, causing tiny little goose bumps to rise on it. She sat up and wrapped her arms around herself, warding off the shivers that ran down her spine. Slowly getting to her feet, she turned in a full circle. The clouds continued to draw nearer, building up into massive black towers, their thunderous rumbles causing the ground itself to tremor. The wind whipped Bulma's hair around her head, further adding to the chaos surrounding her. She shrieked when flames leapt up in a circle around her, licking at her feet. She backed up quickly, but was stopped by a hard object. Spinning around, she was brought face-to-face with a pair of warm, dark eyes.  
  
"Yamcha!" she exclaimed as she flung her arms around her ex-boyfriend. "I thought I'd never see you again!" Tears welled up in her eyes as she clung to him. He was alive! He was real flesh and blood, there for her to hold him and never let go. The only problem was that there was no response from the warrior. She backed up a little to look into his eyes again, noting the distant expression in them. "What's wrong, Yamcha? Are you okay?"  
  
She shrieked as Yamcha's body became enshrouded in light, slowly dissipating from her view. She moved backwards, only to have her path blocked once again by the flames. The body finally completely vanished from her view, leaving behind a frightened and confused Bulma. She continued gazing at the spot where Yamcha disappeared, willing him to come back. She let out a relieved gasp as a figure reformed in that same spot.  
  
The body started forming at the feet, slowly moving up the legs and to the waistline. Bulma's eyes trailed the path of the strange light, following the formation of the torso, the hands, the arms... the body seemed shorter and more compact than that of Yamcha's. She could see a neck emerging, and slowly a face appeared as well. A strong chin, high cheekbones, and furrowed eyebrows were visible, and the light continued up until it reached a point where the figure's hair ended. Bulma's eyes widened and she resumed her backwards retreat, ignoring the searing pain of the flames at her heels. Standing before her was the most menacing figure she had ever laid her eyes upon. Sure, the dark, scowling eyes and the muscular build could intimidate anyone, but what scared her most was that smirk on the man's lips. It was that smirk that had haunted her dreams for countless nights, refusing to give her a good rest. She stumbled and fell to the ground, her pulse pounding in her ears. It was him. It was him.  
  
Vegeta began taking slow steps towards her, his smirk widening until it broke into a psychotic grin, the flickering light accentuating the especially pointed canines. He took his time in approaching her, obviously enjoying the power he had at the moment. Step-by-step he approached her, reveling in the smell of her fear. She had no power. He was in control here. Standing directly in front of her, he raised her up using his ki, hearing her squeal as she floated up. His face inches from her own, he looked deep into her crystalline eyes. She squinted them shut tightly in order to block him out as best she could. She wasn't here. He wasn't here. It wasn't real. He wasn't real. A single tear rolled down her face.  
  
She felt a hand lightly grip her chin, turning it in a forward direction. It was in no way painful. In fact, it was gentle, as if there was no malice in those hands. Half hoping to see Yamcha again, Bulma opened her frightened eyes. She was greeted with a pair of coal-black ones that seemed to look directly into her soul. No longer did she see the twisted smile on Vegeta's face. Instead his eyebrows were frowning in the manner of a confused child, seemingly seeing something for the first time. He... he wanted to know something. He was looking for it in her eyes. Where was it? What was it? He didn't seem to find it, however, as he finally began to draw his face away from her own. She wasn't really afraid of him anymore. She was just very, very lost. What the hell was he doing? She sent him a questioning look.  
  
Big mistake.  
  
The change in her expression seemed to snap the Saiyan out of his daze, and that returned the freakish smile to his face. He took another step forward, officially invading her personal boundaries, and placed his hand on her stomach. It began to heat up as he formed a small ball of condensed ki in it. Leaning in and placing his lips near her ear, she heard one thing before he blasted her into ashes.  
  
"You lose."  
  
*~~*~~*~~*  
  
Bulma shrieked and rolled off her bed, hitting her head on the cold tile floor of the spaceship. She stumbled around on her hands and knees, crawling through the scattered junk she neglected to pick up earlier. After gathering herself and glancing at her surroundings, she breathed a sigh of relief when she realized it was all just a nightmare. Rolling back on her heels and plopping herself firmly onto the floor, she moved her hand to her head.  
  
"Owww..." she moaned as she rubbed it with her palm. Squinting her eyes shut so as to somehow make the room stop spinning, she leaned her back against the sofa bed she had fallen out of. No more horror-novels for her to pass up the endless hours on this boring ship. What had started off as another one of her pointless dreams of frolicking in a beautiful field of flowers turned into one of the worst and most realistic nightmares of her life. She shivered, as the room seemed to drop a few degrees from just thinking about it.  
  
"Bulma?" a tiny, high-pitched voice called to her through the slightly ajar doorway. "Are you alright? You sounded frightened. Is everything okay?"  
  
Bulma yawned and stretched her arms, trying her best to forget about the dream as quickly as possible. "Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. Just so bored that I fell asleep and had a nightmare." She chuckled at her misfortune. Oh, well. She'd get over it.  
  
"Oh. Okay. Well, Oolong and I are playing cards, if you want to join us."  
  
Bulma once again looked around at the mess on her floor. "Actually, I was wondering if you guys would pick up all this junk. After all, there's a lady in here!"  
  
Puar's eyebrow rose. "Um, Bulma, that's your mess. Oolong and I have already cleaned up our garbage."  
  
Bulma huffed and stood up. "I'm busy! After all, I have lots of things to think about. All you two have to do is sit around. The least you could do is be considerate to a delicate lady!" Not really giving the little cat another chance to object, she walked out the door. "Busy, busy, busy," she chanted as she made her way to the pilot's seat. Puar sighed and shook his head as he began work on the filthy room. Didn't she just say that she was bored to death?  
  
Pulling out the scouter that she brought along, Bulma used a small pair of screwdrivers to reveal the circuits within. Tampering around with the various wires, she thought of different modifications she could make to further assist in their mission.  
  
"Let's see. That Vegeta guy was pretty banged up when he left Earth, which means that there's not much of a chance that we'll run into him anytime on our trip. Now that I think of it, though, you can never be too safe..." Bulma chewed her lip thoughtfully. What could she do to keep anyone from finding her? If she had a scouter, what's to say that someone else, a potential enemy, didn't have one as well? And if they could sense energy like her friends could, then they were really screwed. She continued her tinkering, moving circuits here and there. Well, if this thing could sense energy, why couldn't it scramble other things from doing the same? She grinned and set to work on the scouter.  
  
Oolong slowly crept up behind her, sticking his snout over her shoulder to look at what she was working on. What in the world was she doing to keep herself entertained on this dull trip, he wondered. Well, looking down on her from above proved to be entertaining enough, he found, as she was wearing nothing more than a small tank top. He couldn't contain the snort- like snicker that popped out. Bulma dropped her tools and leapt up out of her seat.  
  
"What the hell do you think you're doing, pig?!" Her face was red and fuming as she put herself into a threatening position, ready to leap at the porker. Oolong gulped and took a few steps back, holding his hands out in front of him.  
  
"N-nothing, Bulma. I was just wondering what you were working on!" He laughed sheepishly. Why didn't he feel like he was getting out of this alive? He squealed as Bulma charged at him, her arms waving wildly.  
  
"Get over here you third of a BLT!" She chased him around the small ship, running past the open door to her quarters. Puar could be seen reclining in the doorway, munching on a bag of popcorn. Those guys might be bored, but as far as he was concerned, Puar was very well entertained.  
  
*~~*~~*~~*  
  
The trio of earthlings stepped off of the ship, gaping in awe at their surroundings. So this was Namek. Bulma had been a little peeved when Puar and Oolong stepped out before she had a chance to test the atmosphere; but hey, as long as their heads didn't expand to immense proportions and explode in a horrible gruesome death, she was fine with that. She shrugged. Right. Being cooped up in that tiny ship for so long with nothing to do was finally getting back at her.  
  
She took a deep breath of the fresh air, the smile never leaving her face. She reached in to her bag and pulled out the Dragon Radar. Pressing the button at the top a few times, the circular green screen came to life, yellow dots blinking in sync with the beeping noise the instrument emitted. Her eyes nearly began to tear up.  
  
"There really are Dragonballs here, guys! We actually did it! Guys, we did it!" Bulma grabbed Oolong's hands and began to do a little dance with him, all three of them laughing excitedly the whole time. A small lizard off to the side stared at the strange, loony intruders with his reptilian eyes. Feh. Tourists...  
  
Pi piiiiiiiii  
  
Bulma's scouter put a hold on the celebrations. It was detecting a life form. Letting go of Oolong's small hands, Bulma pressed the button on the device. It was detecting two power levels, heading directly for them. Neither was as powerful as some of her old friends. She figured that even Krillin would probably be able to do away with them easily. However, that wasn't saying that she or her companions could stand any chance against them. She motioned towards Puar and Oolong.  
  
"I've got a reading. They look stronger than us, so I don't want to take any chances. Lets scram for now and find a place to set up camp or something." Pulling out a small case from her pocket, she opened it to reveal rows upon rows of tiny Capsules. Pulling out a pink one, she shut the case and tossed it. It exploded to reveal a large hoverbike, the words "Capsule Corp. 21" written across the side. Pulling her white backpack on her shoulders, she expended one leg across the bike and straddled it, revving it up for the ride.  
  
"Um, Bulma?" She turned around at the sound of Oolong's voice. "Don't we want to take the ship with us?" He expended a pudgy little finger to point at the Namekian ship. Bulma sweatdropped.  
  
"Eh-heh. I knew that!" She hopped off her bike and went around the side of the large ship. "Now where did Dad put that encapsulating button?" She patted down the ship's external walls, hoping to find it. Her scouter continued beeping, making her aware of the presence that continued to draw nearer. Well, they were safe for now, since she had modified the machine to keep their small power levels hidden for the time being. She frowned and continued her search, though a little more frantically. Come on... Where was it? She began to sweat, thinking she wouldn't find it in time.  
  
"There! Found it!" She lifted her hand, ready to slap the elusive button. The hit never came in time, though, as a large explosion resounded not five feet from her, knocking her and the other two off their feet. After regaining her composure, Bulma waved the hindering smoke from her face, looking for the source. She shrieked when she found it.  
  
"The ship! My baby!" The woman ran to the gaping hole that continued to smolder in the side of her ship. A panicked look across her face, she peeked through the large incineration, only to draw her head back in right away. There on the other side of the hole were two... men... dressed in armor resembling that of the Saiyan's. Both were nowhere near human looking, but they sure didn't look like her idea of Namekians, either. She snapped out of her thoughts as she listened to their conversation.  
  
"Where do you think this puppy came from? Sure doesn't look like one of Master Frieza's ships," the first one stated. His scaly face possessed an obviously confused look. The other shrugged and scratched his head with his free hand, as the other possessed a gun of some kind.  
  
"Now how the hell do you think I would know, moron? We've already rendered it useless, and besides, there are no ki readings anywhere around here. Let's just scram and tell Lord Frieza that we didn't find anything."  
  
"But wait! Did you forget that everyone saw this thing falling from the sky? They'll expect some kind of explanation, you know. We can't get away with it that easily."  
  
The other one shrugged his indifference. "We'll just tell the boss that it was a meteorite. He shouldn't care too much, especially since there are no significant readings around here. Heh, it's not like this is Vegeta's ship or anything." Scaly-face's eyes widened.  
  
"Lord Vegeta?! You're kidding! I thought that was just a rumor!"  
  
The larger man turned away and slowly rose into the air. "Naw, I heard Lord Zarbon and Lord Dodoria talking a few days ago. Appears the monkey has become somewhat of a traitor to Master Frieza. Went off in search of these Dragonball things for himself. Failed the first time, though. But I did hear that he plans on coming here to get this other set."  
  
Scaly-face shuddered. "Damn, I'm glad we didn't run into him. We'd be screwed if we did."  
  
"Yeah, well, don't get too happy. Now we have to go back and mop floors again. I'd almost prefer fighting Lor... I mean, that monkey instead of cleaning the mess hall after one of Lord Dodoria's raids." Scaly-face snickered as he followed his comrade back to the ship, agreeing with him wholeheartedly.  
  
Bulma, Oolong and Puar released the breath they had been holding and stepped out from behind the ship. The coast was finally clear, but everything they overheard did far from clear their worries. Bulma sank to her knees and started wailing.  
  
"We're gonna diiieeeeee!!!!" she sobbed. "I'm too beautiful to diiiieeee!!! I won't let it happen!" Puar floated over to the sobbing woman and patted her back.  
  
"Don't worry! Just remember were doing this for Yamcha and the others!" he squeaked out. Bulma's head snapped up, her eyes burning with blue fire.  
  
"To hell with them! I wanna get out of this thing alive!" Puar and Oolong sweatdropped.  
  
"Right, well, what say you we go ahead and get on out of here? You know, preserve our health and all that stuff?" Oolong lifted a finger in the air and with an exclaimed "Change now!" changed himself into a tiny, deformed bird. "I don't know about you guys, but I really want to get out of this thing alive!"  
  
Bulma wiped her eyes and stood up. "You know, that's the first smart thing you've said on this trip, yet, Oolong. Congratulations." The pig swelled his chest with pride. Hey, it wasn't every day that he avoided a near- death experience with the moody scientist. Bulma remounted her hoverbike, and with one fleeting last glance at her ruined ship, roared away on the vehicle, sporting the hottest fashion of clinging Puars on her shoulder. They had better find a safe place to hide, and soon, or else things might make another turn for the worse.  
  
*~~*~~*~~*  
  
A/N: Alrighty, guys! There is chapter 4! I made this a little (or a lot) longer than all of my previous chapters. Why? Well, I just wanted to thank everyone SO MUCH for all of your support. I'm really glad you guys like my story, and I can tell you I'll be continuing with it. Now for the real reason that this chapter is so long! (^_^; J/K!) I just felt like it. *Audience falls on face* Well, thanks for waiting a little. I hope you enjoy this chapter. I definitely can't guarantee that all of my chapters in the future will be this long, but think of it as a little treat. ^__^ Well, 'til next time, adios!  
  
Random shout-out: Yuffie-Girl! I figured I'd just answer your question by dedicating my random shout-out to you! ^_^ You see, whenever I upload chapters onto ff.net, the italics don't get through. I'll figure out how to do it sooner or later, but anyway... There was a part in chapter 2 where Vegeta had a one-line flashback. He was remembering what Yajirobe told him about that "blue-haired chick". Vegeta has never actually SEEN Bulma before, but he figures that there can't be too many other people with that kind of hair coloration. If you're still confused, then just go ahead and read it a little closer. You'll see, it's there! =D Well, thanks very much for your reviews. I hope you enjoy this chapter! 


	5. Decisions

Disclaimer: *Is seen wearing Akira Toriyama mask* Hi! I'm the sole creator of Dragonball, Dragonball Z, and Dragonball GT. *Scooby Doo gang walks in and takes off mask* Darn, you meddling kids! I'll get you, and your stupid dog, too! =P  
  
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Chapter 5 Decisions  
  
*~~*~~*~~*~~*  
  
Exhausted grunts and yells were heard coming from the two warriors seen sparring out over the grass. The two, consisting of the only two humans in the dearly departed group of fighters, were currently duking it out in a battle of courage, strength, and... deadly halos.  
  
"Whoa, man! Watch where you stick that thing!" exclaimed Yamcha as he narrowly avoided the golden ring. Krillin came to the conclusion that head butts hurt your opponent twice as much when you were dead because of the holy accessory, and was currently using that detail to his advantage. He gave Yamcha a mischievous grin and continued his assault. Piccolo snorted at the ridiculous fools from his position a few feet off the ground as he meditated. No wonder they died so soon into the battle. The morons could never stay serious and focused. Not at all like him, who could keep himself in a trance for days on end.  
  
"Look out, Mr. Piccolo!" One eye shot open as the warning reached his pointed ear. Unfortunately, his bodily reaction wasn't nearly fast enough to avoid the rice cake that was sent directly between the eyes. With a surprised yell, he scraped the offending food off his face and glared at the perpetrator. He sneered at the smiling Saiyan as he made an attempt to slink away. The ground trembled beneath their feet as Piccolo roared out his fury.  
  
"GOKU! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" He paused to think. "AGAIN!"  
  
"Ack!" Goku clutched his arsenal of food ammunition and made a run for it. Ignoring the battle a little further ahead, he ran through Krillin and Yamcha's fight, avoiding the stray ki blasts from the two as well as those from the furious Piccolo just a few yards behind. The whole while Gohan and Kaio-Sama stood by watching and sighing at their misfortune. Dinner always ended up either on everyone's faces or in Goku's stomach. Kaio-Sama groaned loudly and called out to the group.  
  
"Are you slackers actually going to do some work around here? PLAYING TAG WON'T HELP YOU NEXT TIME YOU FIGHT VEGETA!" This particular group was really starting to piss him off. I mean, sure, they were some of the strongest fighters he'd even encountered, all of them having the potential to surpass even him, and some who already had done that. His shoulders slumped as he tried to think of something that might get their attention. He diverted his gaze to the small boy sitting in the seat next to him, currently munching on a beef shish kabob, seemingly deep in thought as he chewed away. "What's up, kid?" he inquired with his high, nasal voice. Gohan snapped out of his little world to acknowledge the god before him.  
  
"Aw, nothing. I was just wondering how Bulma and the others were doing on that planet, looking for the Dragonballs and all." The sullen look never left the child's face as he seemed to ponder over the different possibilities and outcomes of his father's friends' mission. Kaio-Sama's eyebrow rose behind the round sunglasses as a light bulb seemed to go off over his head. He snickered at his own sheer brilliance.  
  
"Goku!" he yelled out to the troublemaking Saiyan. "Come over here! I've got something to show you." He added as an afterthought, "The rest of you guys can come, too!" All heads present turned at his summon and eventually made their way around the catfish deity.  
  
"What's up, Kaio-Sama?" Goku asked. The Lord of the Worlds stopped to clean his glasses before continuing. He looked each individual person in the eye before opening his mouth to address them all.  
  
"There's currently a mission being carried out by your Earthly comrades that will determine whether you ever return to the living world or not. Any of you interested yet?" Indeed the group's interest was piqued after this announcement. Everyone was all ears as the god continued. "Good. I'm glad I have your attention. Now, if one of you puts his hand on my shoulder, you'll be able to look with me." Goku was the first of the eager volunteers, and he immediately stepped up.  
  
With his hand placed gently on Kaio-Sama's shoulder, he looked on and began telling his fellow dead warriors just what it was that he saw...  
  
*~~*~~*~~*~~*  
  
Meanwhile, dimensions away on Planet Frieza No. 79, on the eighteenth day after Vegeta left Earth, two guards looked up from their chess-like game to acknowledge the sound coming from the main control panel, signifying that there was a ship nearing the post. Shooting to attention, they checked the signal to determine who their guest was. Surely it wasn't Lord Frieza already, who had recently departed for a distant planet in search of some ancient and supposedly magical artifacts. When they checked the screen, they found they were correct. It definitely wasn't Frieza.  
  
*~~*~~*~~*~~*  
  
A pair of clawed hands tapped away at the colored keys, giving the commands for the regeneration tank to empty its contents. The liquid's level gradually lowered until there was none left, except for what clung to the walls and the person within. After the glass door slid open, the doctor's head swerved on his long neck to face his latest patient.  
  
"You're all healed. You may open your eyes now." The man shook his head to free his face of the breathing mask. Dark eyes opened under furrowed eyebrows as Vegeta stepped out of the tank.  
  
"So I take it the rumors are true. Nappa really is dead, isn't he?"  
  
Vegeta gave a grunt of affirmation as he began pulling on a new body suit. The doctor continued.  
  
"You must have had a hard time even with your great strength," he said with a sigh as he examined Vegeta's battered battle outfit. "To think that this super quality rubber armor was destroyed..." Vegeta continued dressing himself as the shorter reptilian spoke, adjusting his gloves. "Honestly, Vegeta. You're going to get yourself killed one of these days. Don't think I don't know about your rebellion. Frieza will have your head for that," he said with a chuckle. Vegeta turned towards the doctor and smirked.  
  
The old lizard was known as one of the best doctors in the army, but he had the habit of doing things his own way. He had defied Frieza a few times in his own day, that being the only reason that he wasn't on the emperor's personal medical team. That gave Vegeta a certain respect for the aged man, and added onto his higher than average intellect, it was probably why he allowed himself casual conversation with him. No, he'd keep this one alive once he disposed of Frieza, that was for sure.  
  
"Is Frieza in?"  
  
The doctor raised a scaly eyebrow. "No, he has gone out." Vegeta sneered.  
  
"Hn. He has gotten tired of this planet already." The prince made his way to the door of the med bay, the gears in this head running rapidly. He would head back to Earth to finish the job once he got himself a ship. No... he should probably go to Namek first to get his wish...  
  
"Oh! One more thing, Vegeta! Lord Kiwi said for you to come to the training room after your treatment, as he had to talk to you." Vegeta ground his teeth in irritation.  
  
"Bah. Tell him I have nothing to say to him." He continued on his way out. As a last minute thought, the doctor grabbed a scouter and tossed it at Vegeta's back. As if on instinct, he spun around and caught it in his gloved hand, eying it with distaste. He didn't really want to use one of these things. After seeing the Earthling's ability to detect ki unaided, he wanted to try out the power himself. After a short debate, he stuck it somewhere under his armor.  
  
"I don't think I'll need it, but just in case." The corner of the doctor's mouth quirked up in a grin, which Vegeta returned with another smirk. Spinning on his heel, he made his way out of the hospital wing. The old man turned back around to continue his work, mumbling under his breath.  
  
"Arrogant little thing," he said fondly.  
  
*~~*~~*~~*~~*  
  
Vegeta strolled down the ship's corridors, passing the trembling lower class soldiers standing at attention without a second glance. Well, maybe every once in a while just to scare them witless. After putting some thought into it, he decided to return to Earth before going to Namek for the Dragonballs. That planet just left too many disturbing memories for the proud prince. After all, it wasn't too often that he came so close to defeat, and that was a huge blow to his ego. There was no way he was about to let the rest of those disgusting Earthlings live. He would return and finish the job he set out to do. At least it would be a lot easier this time around, what with all of their most powerful warriors already dead. He continued towards the fighter pod hangars.  
  
"Yo, Vegeta!" someone called from the other end of the hallway. The prince turned his head slightly and groaned. "Heard you went through hell." Vegeta's addressor chuckled. "It's a shame Raditz and Nappa died, too. Who could have tormented the supposedly invincible Saiyans, huh?" A hand was placed on Vegeta's shoulder from behind.  
  
"Get the hell out of my face, Kiwi. I don't have time to waste listening to your pathetic blather, so scram," Vegeta told the alien while glancing at the offending hand in distaste. "Now if you don't mind, get your filthy hand off my shoulder," he said, shrugging it off. Kiwi cut him off, however.  
  
"Good thing for you, Frieza is a very forgiving ruler. You went off to Earth without permission, didn't you?" Vegeta's eyes widened slightly. "Well, I hear he's willing to let you off the hook after discovering something so useful for him. He's very excited that you found him a way to achieve eternal youth and life, you know." Kiwi grinned sardonically. Vegeta's pupils dilated and his tail tightened noticeably around his waist as he absorbed this information. His teeth bared, he let out a ferocious, animalistic snarl. "Now, now, Vegeta," Kiwi continued. "There's nothing you can do about it. They said he plans on eradicating the planet after he gets his wish."  
  
"That BASTARD!" Vegeta disregarded Kiwi and shot down the corridor, his mind finally made up. He was going to Namek, and he was getting those Dragonballs before Frieza could even think about getting his filthy little hands on them!  
  
"Give it up!" Kiwi yelled out to the frantic Saiyan. "It looks like your freedom's not any closer than it was twenty years ago, monkey!"  
  
Vegeta's fists clenched as his scowl deepened. No. There was no possible way in Hell that he would allow this to continue. Frieza's empire ended here and now, and the Prince of the Saiyans would rise once again as the most powerful being in the universe, the absolute ruler of all. He continued his race down the hallways, the hangar in his sights. Skidding around the corner and into the room, he immediately ran up to the dispatcher, grabbing his armor and hauling him up.  
  
"Get me a combatant's pod! Now!" he barked. The small foot soldier trembled under his grasp.  
  
"S-sir! Lord Vege-geta... I have to have your purging orders or a file for leave b-before I can do that..." Vegeta didn't wait for the fool to finish before he blasted him into oblivion. Tossing what was left of his uniform aside, he hurried over to the control panel of a readied pod and set in the directions for Namek. The door hissed open and Vegeta squeezed in, shutting it again before it had a chance to finish. The ship prepared for takeoff as soldiers ran around the hangar in disarray. It was complete chaos, so much so that no one noticed the shadow lurking in the corners, watching the ship take off with a smirk on his face.  
  
"Soon, Vegeta. You'll never even make it to Frieza before I get to you." Kiwi walked out of the darkness and up to one of the soldiers. "Prepare a ship for me to the same location as Vegeta's." His eyes narrowed. "And don't question me." The soldier gulped and nodded, not daring to make the same mistake as his fellow.  
  
Destination: Namek.  
  
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Ooh, looks like Vegeta finally found out about Freiza's plan, and he sure is peeved!! ^_^ Sorry that these are taking so long to come out, guys. It's just that every time I sit down to write this thing, I get distracted by such trivial things as homework! I mean, the NERVE of that school board! *Grumbles* Giving me endless projects when I have more IMPORTANT things to do like write fanfiction... *Grumbles* Anyway, I don't think I'll EVER be able to update this thing once a week like I had hoped, but I'll be sure to keep new chapters coming at a reasonable pace. Don't give up on me! Lol, I'll keep at it as long as you guys enjoy my story. =D And what better way to show me you do than by leaving me reviews?? Lol. 0 = )  
  
BTW, thanks to Stef-chan and Chunkymunky241 for the recommendation. ^_^ You're both authors I respect a lot, and I loved your idea!  
  
Random shout-out: ishi ban!!! Lol, here's your chapter. ^_^ I'm so glad you enjoy the story, and I hope you like this new chapter. Thanks for your reviews! 


	6. Guide

Disclaimer: Aw, heck. I don't own DBZ.  
  
A/N: Sorry guys for not updating in so long. I just haven't seemed to have time to sit down and write lately! I hope this might make up a little for the late update.  
  
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Last time: "That BASTARD!" Vegeta disregarded Kiwi and shot down the corridor, his mind finally made up. He was going to Namek, and he was getting those Dragonballs before Frieza could even think about getting his filthy little hands on them!  
  
Vegeta's fists clenched as his scowl deepened. No. There was no possible way in Hell that he would allow this to continue. Frieza's empire ended here and now, and the Prince of the Saiyans would rise once again as the most powerful being in the universe, the absolute ruler of all.  
  
The ship prepared for takeoff as soldiers ran around the hangar in disarray. It was complete chaos, so much so that no one noticed the shadow lurking in the corners, watching the ship take off with a smirk on his face.  
  
"Soon, Vegeta. You'll never even make it to Frieza before I get to you."  
  
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As Fate Would Have It Chapter 6  
  
Bulma strolled out of the cave opening, shielding her eyes from the bright sunlight. Who'd have thought that this planet had two suns? It was rather odd, and Bulma wondered if they ever had nightfall here. Glancing back into their temporary hideout, she called for Oolong.  
  
"Hey pork-chops! Let's get going before I start getting any wrinkles!" The small pig sulked out of the shadows, kicking at small rocks along his way.  
  
"I don't see why I'm the one who has to go with you! Why can't you take Puar instead, and let me stay behind in the Capsule house?" he complained. He wasn't too thrilled about going exploring on a planet full of Piccolos or Vegetas, after all. Bulma sighed at his whiny tone.  
  
"Because," she emphasized, "I don't trust you all alone in the Capsule house. Knowing you, you'll invite all the alien swines over and throw a party, trashing my house! Besides, you're better at the more menacing transformations than Puar is. You'll do good for protection if we need it." She continued on her way out, popping open her hoverbike capsule and hopping on. "Now get on, so we can head out. The sooner we find those Dragonballs, the sooner we can get our hides off this planet. I sure don't want to run into those guys who blew up our ship again."  
  
Oolong took a seat behind Bulma on the bike, wrapping his arms around her trim waist. Well, maybe this won't be so bad after all, he thought with a devious smile as he drew closer to Bulma.  
  
"And no groping back there, either, or else I'll knock you off!" Oolong pouted. Damn.  
  
Pulling the Dragon radar out of the front pocket of her outfit, she pressed the button, looking for where the closest ball was. "Closest ball is... due west about 30 miles! Wow, we're lucky that it's so close! This is great. Hang on!" With that, she put the radar back in her pocket and revved the engine, shooting off into the distance towards their first Dragonball.  
  
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The old man stood at the center of the room, his eyes shut as he sensed the horror only a few villages away. His grip on the young child's hand at his side tightened slightly every time he sensed another slaughter.  
  
"Elder Muuri, what are we to do? They might come here next." The old Namek opened his eyes to acknowledge the younger people around him. The grim look on his face accentuated his old age.  
  
"We will wait until they make their way here. If the other villages could not stop them, then we have little chance as well. Gather the rest of the villagers and the valuables and prepare to leave." With a nod, the counsel left the hut and scattered to their own homes, gathering the young and the old together and taking their belongings. Muuri walked into a back room, the child close behind him. Pulling to the side a small curtain, he revealed the village Dragonball. Lifting it off of its pedestal, he wrapped it tightly in a white cloth and placed it in a large bag. Slinging the bag over his shoulder, he led himself and the child out of the hut.  
  
When Muuri emerged, however, he stopped as he noticed a small crowd gathered around something near the edge of the village. He handed the bag to the child and hurried toward the commotion.  
  
Pushing aside the people in the crowd, he made his way to the center. "What's going on here?" He laid his eyes upon the source of the chaos and saw three of the strangest looking creatures he had ever seen in his life. The smallest was a sort of pinkish creature, with two large floppy ears at the top of his head. The other had rather the same color skin, but its head was topped with hair of such an odd color, as were its eyes. The third creature was the largest, and had no distinguishable limbs so to speak. It looked more like a fuchsia rectangle with a black saddle at the top. Being extremely wary of any intruders after the slaughter he had sensed not too long ago, Muuri cleared his throat and began to address the strangers.  
  
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Damn, Bulma, the scientist thought to herself. For being so smart, you really have no common sense, do you? Why weren't you wearing your scouter so that way you wouldn't have any surprises? At this moment, she and Oolong were being examined by the strange Piccolo look-alikes, and she didn't like their scrutinizing glares. Then this weird fat pruny one came up and started talking to them in some weird foreign language. Bulma was getting fed up, but she kept on a happy face.  
  
"Eh-heh. None of you happen to know English, do you?" The old one immediately stopped and looked at Bulma in surprise. After a short period of silence, he continued talking.  
  
"We know a universal language. Does that help?" Bulma's eyes widened as she understood his words.  
  
"I... guess so! So I take it you're the leader?" she asked, addressing her question to the older Namek who was speaking to her. He nodded.  
  
"Yes I am. Now if you don't mind my asking, who are you people, and what interest do you have in our village?" Bulma smiled again and replied in a sing-song voice.  
  
"I'm so glad you asked."  
  
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"So you came here to, hoping to use our Dragonballs in order to bring the ones on your planet back and restore the lives of those killed by the Saiyans. Is that right?" Bulma nodded.  
  
"Exactly. We need the Dragonballs before the Saiyan returns to our planet, so that we have a way to defend it again. And from what I've heard, there are also other people here looking for the Dragonballs, too." Muuri nodded his head.  
  
"So that's why they are killing our brethren. We could sense the massacres in the other villages." Muuri looked down at his feet, contemplating the situation. "Your intentions seem honest enough, and you seem to genuinely want to help." He glanced at his fellows, nodding in affirmation. "You may have the Dragonball, then."  
  
Reaching into the bag, he pulled out the Dragonball, unwrapping it from the white cloth. Bulma and Oolong gasped in unison. "That's the Dragonball?! Dang, it's friggin' HUGE!" Oolong exclaimed.  
  
Passing the ball to the child next to him, Muuri ordered the boy to deliver it across the room to the alien pair. The small Namek hurriedly scuttled over to where Bulma and Oolong were standing and handed the artifact to them. Bulma held it in her arms, examining it at a distance, and finally smiled and thanked the boy.  
  
"Thank you very much. What's your name little guy?" He looked down and shyly shuffled his feet.  
  
"My name is Dende," he said quietly.  
  
"Well Dende, it's great to meet you!" she exclaimed excitedly and shook his hand, pumping it up and down. The poor boy looked like his arm was about to fall off.  
  
"Nice... to... meet... you too!"  
  
Muuri chuckled at the scene before him. The strangers seemed friendly enough, and they were honorable to boot. They probably had no idea what kind of predicament they were in, though. He sighed and glanced down at Dende.  
  
"Son, come here." Dende immediately obliged and made his way back towards Muuri. The old man bent over and whispered something in Dende's ear. When he was done, the little one looked up at Muuri smiling and nodding his head. "Very well then," Muuri stated.  
  
Standing up straight and tall, he regarded Bulma and Oolong for a moment before speaking again. "Namek is not an easy planet to navigate. You will need a guide. Dende here has enthusiastically agreed to fill that position."  
  
"Really?" Bulma asked. "Aww, that's so sweet! Thanks a lot." She clapped her hands together. "Well, now that we have this whole thing settled, why don't we go ahead and head off for more Dragonballs? Let's go guys!" The group nodded and headed out of the building. Bulma looked down at Dende, who was currently standing on her right.  
  
"So kid, is there anything you need to bring with you? Food? Clothes? Comic books?" He shook his head.  
  
"I'll be fine as I am, thank you."  
  
"Then that's that! Looks like were off!" Mounting her bike, she helped Oolong get on behind her. "You need a ride, kid?"  
  
Dende floated up into the air. "That's alright! I can fly myself." Bulma's eyebrows rose.  
  
"Cool. Better for us, huh Oolong?" He just snorted as Bulma gave one last wave to the members of the village and sped off, Dende close behind her.  
  
They seemed to have left at just the right moment, however, because as the village went out of view over the horizon, two men, each holding Dragonballs, landed there, asking none too nicely for the complete cooperation of the village people.  
  
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Vegeta floated up out of the crater his ship left in the Namekian soil. Mounting his scouter on the side of his face, he scanned the area for the nearest life form. He didn't have to wait very long, though, when it detected a large power level coming from directly above him. With an enormous explosion, the second ship landed, leaving another crater right next to Vegeta's. His face broke out into a grin.  
  
"Can Kiwi come out to play?" he called out to the form exiting the new pod. Kiwi was none too amused, however.  
  
"Are you stupid, Vegeta? Check your scouter! My power level is beyond yours, you stupid little monkey." Vegeta growled and fazed in right in front of Kiwi.  
  
"Do you know how old that insult gets after hearing it your whole life?" he whispered in Kiwi's face. His tail uncurled from his waist as he began to silently power up. Kiwi failed to notice until his scouter picked up the slow power increase. His jaw dropped as his energy level began to rapidly rise.  
  
"Ho-how the hell are you doing that?!" Vegeta clenched his fists and let out his energy in an explosion, laughing the whole time.  
  
"You fool! Don't you know anything about Saiyans?!" Kiwi's eyes widened and he gulped audibly. "While you were sitting on your ass safely within Frieza's compound, I was in real battles! I even came close to death once! And do you know what happens when a Saiyan returns from the brink of death?" He plowed a fist into Kiwi's unsuspecting gut, making his eyes pop out of their head. A well-placed roundhouse kick sent Kiwi back into the crater he came out of. Vegeta flew down and picked him up out of the dirt, whispering into his ear. "We get a good deal stronger." With that, he sent an enormous ki blast at his opponent, the close range obliterating him from existence.  
  
Floating back to the ground, Vegeta powered down, smiling at his test round. Kiwi used to be equal to him in strength, and he just turned him to ashes without even breaking a sweat! This was too good! And that ki- concealing ability he learned from the earthlings came in handy, as well. He might just be able to pull this rebellion off, now. Frieza wouldn't ever know what hit him.  
  
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A/N: Woo! Once again, I'm so sorry for the inexcusably late update, guys. I really hope I didn't lose any readers because of it. I love you guys! *Cries* Well, once again, let me know if you enjoyed the chapter. A little hurried, but hey. I guess it's better than nothing. Word to ishi- ban: Lol, thanks for the consideration, but I want to try to characterize Vegeta as best as I think I can on my own. I really appreciate all of the ideas, and that website too, though. ^_^ *Hugs* I hope you enjoyed this chapter!  
  
Random shout-out: naiyana! Glad you like the fic! I'm sorry, though. I don't have a mailing list. Tell you what, though. If I ever do set one up, you'll be one of the first on it! ^_^ Lol. Thanks again, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! 


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